Exercise 2

Schwalbe P.66 - Chapter 2, Ex 5.

Write a one- to two- pages summary of an article about the importance of top management support for successful information technology projects.


Link to source article:
"The Importance of Executive Buy-In on Your ERP Project" (Kimberling, 2006),
http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/erp/roi/archives/the-importance-of-executive-buyin-on-your-erp-project-8009

This is only a short article but I have found it conclude all important points of the subject issue here. Although it exclusively focused on ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning) project which is big, the same theory literally applies to IT projects of all sizes.

According to a study updated by The Standish Group at 2000, Executive support is listed as top No.1 criteria among "Recipe for success - CHAOS Ten". It leads over User involvement, Experienced project manager, Clear business objectives, and other critical successful factors in project management. It highlights "lack of executive input can jeopardize a project" (Johnson, Boucher, Connors & Robinson, 2001).

And in the above source article, Kimberling stressed that the importance of "executive buy-in" goes beyond approving the budget to pay for the project. I summarised his points as below:

The importance of top management support for successful IT projects

1. Funding the project;
2. Top management or executives need to be engaged in projects to help making key business decisions which will affect the operation model and the organisation itself;
3. Large projects across multiple sectors of an organisation require top management to fight sensitive political battles during implementation, such as changing operation models, business processes, and staff positions;
4. Top management is needed to procure and secure employee resources necessary for the success of projects.

Furthermore, to complete the concept, senior consultant Gary Owen (2007) suggested six techniques to get started in obtaining top management support and but in:

1. Start small, be realistic;
2. Show value;
3. Don’t oversell;
4. Identify costs and resources first;
5. Be available and committed;
6. Build upon business continuity planning (Owen, 2007) visibility.

As the success or failure of IT projects hinges on the level of executive support received, IT professionals need to garner it, and keep it. Otherwise uninterested senior management will often relegate the projects to obscurity.

Reference

Johnson, J., Boucher, K.D., Connors, K., & Robinson, J. (2001). Collaboration: Development & Management, Collaborating on Project Success. Software Magazine and Wiesner Publishing.
Retrieved August 22, 2007, from http://www.softwaremag.com/archive/2001feb/CollaborativeMgt.html.

Kimberling, E. (2006). The Importance of Executive Buy-In on Your ERP Project. Information Technology Toolbox, Inc. Retrieved August 22, 2007, from
http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/erp/roi/archives/the-importance-of-executive-buyin-on-your-erp-project-8009.

Owen, G. (2007). Consultants Corner: Getting Executive Support for your BCP. Strohl Systems. Retrieved August 22, 2007, from
http://www.recoverychronicles.com/MediaPR/eNewsletter/November2004/393/Article.asp.